“Is it time to rethink your jewelry?”

Let me share a passage with you today that has caused quite a stir, and which, depending on the environment you grew up in, may have left some scars: “I also want the women to dress modestly, with decency and propriety, adorning themselves, not with elaborate hairstyles or gold or pearls or expensive clothes” (1 Timothy 2:9 NIV).

Why, though? Well, Ephesus was a city where various religious and cultural movements converged, including the cult of Artemis, where women played prominent roles. The statue of Artemis was often covered with many breasts—bold, loud, and attention-grabbing.

In the Artemis cult, women held a high position, even as priestesses. You can imagine that it had little to do with religion when a goddess was depicted naked... That alone explains Paul’s desire: “Women should dress modestly” (1 Timothy 2:9 NIV).

Do you know why jewelry was a big deal to Paul? Back then, you couldn’t just order a piece of jewelry on Amazon. There were a few silversmiths, and one of them had a major dispute with Paul (see Acts 19:23-40 NIV), partly because he made amulets of the goddess, which were “on trend” and probably worn by women in the church.

That explains why Paul says, “Women should dress modestly” (1 Timothy 2:9 NIV). Yes, it explains a lot, but certainly not everything.

It simply shows that it’s important to read the Bible carefully and understand beyond any preconceived notions.

Times have, thankfully, changed today (see Galatians 5:1 NIV). But one thing remains true today:

God gives you freedom—just don’t ignore the Holy Spirit’s voice in the process.

You are a miracle!

Déborah

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